Tom Parker

Southampton

Born in Woolston, Southampton, Parker began playing with local sides, such as Sholing Rangers and Sholing Athletic, before joining Southern League side Southampton as an amateur in 1918, just before the end of the First World War. In his first season for the Saints, he was playing in the War League and in friendlies, and made a total of 39 appearances, scoring 12 goals, of which 10 were penalties, thus making him the club's second highest scorer behind Bill Rawlings. In 1919, after the end of hostilities, professional football restarted and for the next seven seasons he was a virtual ever-present at right back, forming a successful full-back partnership with Fred Titmuss. Parker was described in Holley & Chalk's The Alphabet of the Saints as "never the fastest of players, he had wonderful positional sense and his tackling was always well-timed". Southampton became founder members of the Third Division for the start of the 1920–21 season and were promoted as champions to the Second Division in 1922. Southampton reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1925 but in the match at Stamford Bridge on 28 March 1925 they were eliminated by Sheffield United when Parker had a dreadful afternoon, first scoring an own-goal, then suffering a rare miss from the penalty spot (shooting straight at the 'keeper) before a mix-up between him and goalkeeper Tommy Allen gave Sheffield their second goal. During his time at Southampton, Parker also won a solitary cap for England,…

Norwich City

With Parker as manager, Norwich City won the Third Division South in 1933–34 and thus promotion to the Second Division.

Southampton

Parker moved back to his old club Southampton in March 1937, taking over from George Goss who had acted as manager since the previous summer without any real success. On his arrival at The Dell, with money available for new players, Parker set about building a side to push for promotion from Division 2. Over two seasons he spent £9,000 on new players, bringing in wingers Harry Osman and Billy Bevis, goalkeeper Sam Warhurst and centre-half Bill Dodgin. The most important signing, however, was when he signed Ted Bates from his former club Norwich City. Bates was later to go on to transform Southampton into a First Division team. By 1939, Parker had built a settled side but the Second World War soon intervened and put a halt to competitive football, making all Parker's planning wasted. Parker continued as secretary-manager throughout the difficult initial years of the war, fielding sides made up mostly from guest players. In June 1943, after a row with the Saints' board, he resigned his position to take up employment outside football as a ship's surveyor in Southampton Docks with Lloyd's registry.

Norwich City (second spell)

He later had a second, less successful spell at Norwich in the 1950s which saw the club finish at the bottom of the League.

As a player

Southampton

Football League Third Division South: 1921–22 Arsenal

Football League First Division: 1930–31, 1932–33 FA Cup: 1929–30; runner-up: 1926–27, 1931–32 FA Charity Shield: 1930, 1931

As a manager

Norwich City

Football League Third Division South: 1933–34